Securement means for shingle and siding units



Jan. l7, 1947.

F. S. SMALL SECUREMENT MEANS FOR SHINGLE AND SIDING UNITS Filed Oct. 26, 1944 FIG.|.

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IN1/E FRANK 6.

' ATTORNEY Patented `Jan. 7, 1947 SECUREMENT MEANS Foa sHINGLE AND SIDING UNITS I Frank S. Small, St. Louis, Mo., assignor of onehalf to Elden P. Reising, Evansville, Ind.

Application October 26, 1944, Serial No. 560,437

(Cl. S-8) 9 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in securement means for shingle and siding units, and more particularly to an improved arrangement for maintaining in close permanent adjacence, and without any exposed metal elements, the overlapped units of shingle and siding assemblies.

For some time past the application of asbestos siding and similar shingling materials, with permanent satisfaction, has offered a number of diilculties. According to prevailing practice, the siding units, usually rectangular in form, lare laid up in horizontal rows or courses with the lower margins of the shingles or units of each course, overlapping Ithe upper margins of the units of .the course next below. Prevalent means of attachment in application of siding of this type, consist in a double course or row of nails extended through rows of nail holes, one near the top and another near the bottom of each unit, the nails extended through the units into a usually solid sheathing therebeneath. It has also been regarded as necessary for best resistance to wind and rain, to provide in each of the zones of the vertical joints between the units, a strip of single .w

ply composition roong material or the like, separately applied over the sheathing and just inwardly of the vertical joints. This obviously necessitates additional expense for both material and labor. While nails are a fairly satisfactory fastening expedient for retention of the units in vertical position, they have not proven satisfactory in keeping the units in close adjacence in the zones of their'overlap, with the result that much trouble is experienced in looseness of the units, reflected in a tendency to rattle due to Wind effects, in loss of weather protection, frequent repair expense, and other numerous shortcomings. It is accordingly a major objective of the present invention to overcome the several difficulties noted; to attain an assembly of shingling units particularly for siding purposes, which is substantially free of depthwise looseness, rattles and the like, and which is characterized by improved weather-sealing characteristics.

Considerable further diculty has been experienced because of the exposed rows of nails under the older prevailing practice, usually after a period of weathering, due to rusting of the nails, and consequent rust streaks detracting materially from the appearance of asbestos siding and the like, the units of which are light in color. The present improvements accordingly objectively attain an assembly in which there is or need be no exposed ferrous metal securement elements,

obviates vthe rust A still further and important object of the invention is attained in an improved securement clip for attachment of the overlapped siding units to each other, in or along the `zones of their overlap, Such that anchorage of the fasteners utilized for .this purpose is effected by means 1ocated entirely within the siding unit, specifically such anchorage being effected by recessed or countersunk clip-anchoring members.

The foregoing and numerous other objects will more clearly appear from the following detailed description of certain preferred embodiments of .the invention, when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a rectangular asbestos siding unit, provided with the present improvements;

Fig. 2 -is an enlarged sectional elevation of a fastener assembled to a siding unit, as viewed along line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary View of three courses of shingling or siding units, illustrating one manner of their application;

Fig. 4 is an isometric view of one form of siding fastener;

Fig. 5 is an isometric view of a modified form of fastener, and

Fig. 6 is a view corresponding in nature and location, to Fig. 2, but showing certain modifications of the fastener and manner of assembling it to the shingling unit.

Referring now by characters of reference to the drawing, the several shingling or siding units are indicated at I0, and by way of example are illustrated as being rectangular in form, usually of a length about twice their width, and laid up in accordance with conventional practice, in horizontal courses or rows, with the lower margins of the units of Aeach course somewhat overlapping the upper margins of the units of the next lower course. This general arrangement is conventional, although the principles of the present improvements will be understood as applicable to a wide variety of shapes and arrangement of the units in any of a wide variety of roofing or siding applications. J oint-sealing strips S may be used if desired.

Each of the units Il) is provided with a plurality of preformed nail openings II, two being shown, but Sometimes three of these being provided somewhat below and somewhat inwardly of the upper margin of each of the units I0. Conveniently formed at low cost at the time of molding or otherwise forming the units, is a plurality of depressions I2 opening into the inner face of each of the units preferably in the region of or slightly above the overlapping area of the inner face of the units thus provided. Although any suitable number of the depressions I2, as desired, may be employed, these are shown as two in number on each unit and arranged, for location of the fasteners (Fig. 1) each about one-.third the distance in from the nearest Vertical margin of a rectangular unit I0. The shape of these depressions may be varied according to choice in shape of fastener base, as will hereinafter more clearly appear.

Each fastener, generally referred to as I 3, comprises, as later detailed, an inset or countersunk base plate serving as a support and anchorage for the clip proper, the plate occupying one of the depressions I2, while the clip portion of the fastener is generally although not necessarily, of an inverted L shape comprising two legs, a shorter horizontal portion I4, and a longer substantially vertical leg I5. It will appear that in assembly of the siding units, each unit is secured by a row of" nails IE extending through the openings II therefor, but that these nails are applied through the shingle unit and sheathing through what is, after finished application, a concealed zone of the unit, whereby the nails are protected from rain and in great measure from the usual oxidizing effects, whereby rust streaking is eliminated, or at least minimized. It will appear from Fig. 2 that the clip portion of the fastener bears a definite relation to the siding unit with which it is employed, in that the sho-rter leg I4 projects outwardly or rearwardly from the inner face of the unit by which it is carried, such a distance that the vertical leg I5 of the clip is spaced rearwardly of the rear face of the unit a distance which corresponds closely to, in fact may initially be slightly less than the presumably uniform thickness of the several units. It results from this that in assembly, as each course of the units is applied and positioned in the row by nails, the clips of the superposed units are so applied that their legs I5 are brought downwardly over so as to lie just rearwardly of the rear face of the overlapped portion of the subjacent units, and in such manner that the shorter horizontal leg of each clip abuts the upper edge of the unit next therebelow.

If desired, and according to preference, the clip may be formed of a resilient metal stock so that it is slightly stressed in being brought over the margin of the subjacent siding unit, and so serves snugly to grip such margin and guidingly to secure the superposed units in depthwise adjacence to each other and in line and parallelism in the rows, whereby to prevent rattling or looseness from any cause, so long as the sheathing therebeneath is solid and tight. The manner of application of the fastener-equipped units wil be readily apparent from the foregoing description and from the drawing, and may follow if desired, conventional modes of application except for usage of the clips for securement of the overlapped units in a close and permanent face adjacent to each other, and in the elimination of face nails.

Proceeding now to a description of certain practical means of attachment of the fasteners to the siding units, it has been noted as a preference to provide each such units with a row of the depressions I2, these forming seats for the reception of the base or plate portion of the fastener. With reference to Fig, 4, it will be seen that the base is constituted of a plate 20 which is preferably of non-circular general outline, and is provided about its perimeter or the greater portion thereof, with apexed projections or tooth-like serrations 2I. It should b-e noted in connection with the structure of Fig. 4, that the base plate 20 is optionally provided with a plurality of openings 22. Extending outwardly of the plate 20 and preferably formed integrally with the plate, is a clip consisting of a shorter horizontal leg IQ and at right angles thereto as an extension, is a longer, normally vertical leg I5, heretofore generally referred to. The leg I5 is by preference either tapered somewhat at its terminus 23 as by outward deflection in this zone of the material of which the major clip leg is formed, or if desired, by reducing the material in thickness at the end of the major leg. This provision facilitates the introduction of the clip over the margin 0f the overlapped siding or shingle unit therebelow. As has been noted, the distance between most of the leg I5 and surface of the unit, is equal to, or perhaps as desired, very slightly less than the normal thickness of the siding unit, whereby to provide a secure gripping engagement of the upper margin of the subjacent unit between the clip leg I5 and the adjacent face of the shingle or siding unit by which the clip is carried. In the several forms of clip, the overall dimensions of the base plate preferably appreciably exceed the corresponding 'dimensions of the bottom of the depression I2 in which it is located, and by further preference the base plate is either, at the time of its formation, or by Vuse of a special deforming tool on the job, stressed outwardly so that it assumes a somewhat bowed aspect in at least one section, as indicated by dotted lines in a somewhat modified form in Fig. 6. After the base 20A thereof is inserted with its edges in bottoming relation in the depression I2, it is struck or otherwise forcibly resto-red to an unstressed or normal planar aspect. The overall area of the base somewhat exceeding that of the bottom of the depression, the serrations or apices 2 IA, will be driven into the material in the lowermost portions of the perimetral wall of the depression, thus locking the base and hence the fastener in place in the shingle or siding unit.

As an alternate mode of secu-rement, or for use in conjunctionwith that heretofore described, there is preferred for siding or shingle units of certain compositions or constituencies, an adhesive securement of the clip into assembly with the siding or shingle units. One suitable form of this mode of securement is indicated by Fig. 2, wherein it will appear that there is rst deposited a covering layer of moderate depth, of a bonding material 24. For the usual and prevalent asbestos siding units made up predominantly of Portland cement and asbestos fiber, there has been found satisfactory as a bonding material, certain of the preparations sold under the trade name of Cycleweld, marketed and sold by Chrysler Corporation of Detroit, Michigan, this cement being of the class of .synthetic resin adhesives,

.more particularly a thermosetting plastic. Alternately there may be employed a preparation supplied by Hayes' Adhesive Co. of St. Louis, Missouri, and marketed as Hayes Special Waterproof Cement. Further, in the application of the bonding material such as 24, asufiicient excess is provided so that the body of the originally plastic material 2B is caused to extrude through one or a plurality of the openings 22 heretofore referred to. This extrusion also takes place through theperimetral spaces between the apical portions perimetrally of thel fastener base, and results in a perimetral deposit of the bonding material, shown at 25. It will be noted that this portion of the bonding material effects a close waterproof union, with high cohesive effect, between the metal of the plate and the peripheral wall portions of the depression or recess I2. Still further, and with additional securement advantage, it will be noted from Fig. 2, that the material 24 is extruded through the openings 22 and, upon setting of the bonding material, forms exteriorly headed keying elements 26 on the outer face of the clip base. These extruded portions, following setting, serve to tie the base plate of the clip to the body of the siding or shingle unit, in coaction with the holding eirect of the perimetral deposit 25.

In the form of clip shown by Fig. 5, the horizontal and vertical leg portions iQ-A and ISA are or may be the same as earlier described; the base 20A of this form is shown as of serrated circular outline, and convexly stressed as suggested by the dotted lines of Fig. 6. It should definitely be noted that the interlocking engagement aiorded by the serrations 2l or ZEA in penetrating the material dening the walls of the depression, will, in most cases with most siding mated rials, be entirely sufficient. It is definitely contemplated, as has been proven by experiments, to employ both securement expedients if desired, in the same assembly. It is preferred for assurance against casual angular displacement of the clips after assembly to the siding or shingle units, to select a non-circular form of base and a corresponding non-circular form of depression in which the clip base is disposed, with advantages now evident.

It should be noted in respect to the several forms of fastener illustrated, and the various expedients for their assembly to the shingling units, any of the several features are regarded as susceptible of embodiment in each or any of the several forms illustrated and described, and others Within the scope of present improvements.

It will now have appeared that the improved structure and manner oi assembling the fasteners to the siding or shingle units, and the resulting advantageous assembly of such units in application entirely fuliill each of the several objectives hereinabove set forth, and others expressed and implied in the description. Since many variants are possible, the detail of present description is to be understood in an instructive rather than in a limiting sense, numerous changes being possible within the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

I claim as my invention:

l. In a roong or siding unit of a type formed of a Portland cement matrix and provided with a face depression, a fastener characterized by a base plate disposed in the depression, a clip carried by the base plate and an amount of a bonding material in the depression and perimetrally overlying the base plate, the bonding material adhesively engaging the base plate and marginal portions ofthe recess in which the plate is located.

2. In a Portland cement and fiber shingle or siding unit of a type in which a plurality of the units are laid up in overlapped relation, a fastener including a base plate, a clip carriedby and projecting from the plate for engaging an overlapped unit therebeneath, a bonding material consisting of a resin of thermosetting character between the base plate and a face of the unit, the base plate being provided with` an opening, and a portion of the bonding material extending through said opening, the bonding material constituting the primary connection between the fastener and the unit, and serving to key the base plate to the body of the unit.

lS. In a shingle or siding unit of a Portland cement-ber type and provided with a plurality of facewise depressions, a fastener located in the region of each of said depressions, each fastener including a plate within the adjacent depression, a bonding material by which the plate is secured in the depression, the plate being provided with an opening in its intermediate area and with a plurality of perimetral passages, the bonding material extended through said openings and passages, whereby to key the plate securely into assembly with the material in the bottom, and perimetrally of the depression, and a clip carried by said plate and adapted for engagement with a similar underlying unit.

4. The combination and arrangement of elements substantially as described in claim 3 but further characterized in that the perimetral portion of the plate is serrated, thus forming the perimetral passage between the serrations, and with its serrations interengaging the marginal portions of the depression in which the plate is located.

5. A rectangular shingle or siding unit of Portland cement and asbestos, and provided with a plurality of preformed nail holes somewhat nearer its upper margin, and with a plurality of depressions inwardly of its inner face, and located nearer its lower margin,v the depressions being located out of vertical alignment with said nail holes, a fastener in the region of each of said depressions, each fastener including a base plate v provided with perimetral serrations in inter-engagement with the material of the unit about the depression in which the plate is located, a bonding material differing from the material forming the body of the unit, and disposed in each depression in part between the bottom of the depression and the adjacent surface of the plate, and in further part extended through the serrations and into bonding relation with the peripheral wall portions of the depression, the plate and depression being of substantially conforming non-circular shape to prevent turning movements of the plate within the depression and in the plane of the unit, and an inverted substantially L-shaped clip formed integrally with the plate, the shorter leg of the clip extending substantially normal to the plane of the unit, and the longer leg thereof being extended at about a right angle to the shorter leg and generally parallel to the adjacent face of the unit, and being spaced from such face a distance substantially equal to the thickness of the unit.

6. An asbestos shingle or siding unit including a metal attachment clip having an apertured base, the clip base being secured substantially parallel to one face of the unit, and a layer of aars-,794

v7' adhesive synthetic resin of a thermosetti-ng character, between the clip base and the body of the unit, and constituting the primary means by which the clip is attached.

'7. In an asbestos and cement shingle or siding unit, a metal attachment clip, and an adhesive bonding material constituting the sole securement agency between the clip and the body of the unit, the attachment clip being formed and secured so as to project from one face of the unit, and said bonding material. consisting of a ther mosetting synthetic resin.

8. A ceramic facing unit for use in a plurality for building purposes, the unit including a substantially flat ceramic body containing asbestos ber, one or more spaced clips projecting from the rear face of the body, and a bonding layer of 'a synthetic resin of thermosetting type, the bonding layer located between and adhesively attached vto the clip and the body, and serving as a sole attachment agency therefor.

9. A weather-resisting face unit of asbestos and Portland cement composition, and adapted for use on a building in an arrangement of a plurality ci such units, each unit including one or more clips projecting from its rear face, each clip including a flatbase plate and a spring arm, and a layer of a bonding material consisting of a thermosetting synthetic resin of a type to `bond under heat and pressure, with both` the asbestos and cement of the face unit, and located between the clip base and. the body of the unit, a portion of the bonding material being in locking intertting engagement with the clip and the layer of bonding material adhesively lengaging the body 0f the unit, the bonding layer serving as the sole structural connection between the clip and the unit.

FRANK S. SMALL. 

